DISCE, OHSHC.

⁺ ♡ catching hints of gold

While students began trickling inside the music room to meet with the other hosts, Haruhi found the two of you a table away from the rest of the Host Club's hubbub to talk. You were grateful for their consideration and told them as much while they expertly poured out two cups of fragrant tea.

"Of course. I can tell you're not keen on everyone knowing your business."

You smiled. Then, because you had been wondering about it since yesterday, you asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what are your pronouns?"

Haruhi blinked. "Oh, feminine pronouns are fine, although I don't really mind either way. I've gotten so used to moonlighting as a boy that sometimes it doesn't even occur to me."

"I have to know how that happened," you said. "How did someone like you get lumped into a club like this? I mean, you're so—so—"

"Normal?" Haruhi said blandly.

"I was going to say down-to-earth, but yeah, that too."

Haruhi took a sip from her teacup. She had a natural grace to her movements that she didn't seem to be aware of. "It's a long story. But the short of it is that I accidentally broke a vase and had to become a host to pay off the debt."

"Must have been some vase."

Haruhi closed her eyes as though it pained her to remember it. "Eight million yen," she said through gritted teeth.

You sucked in a breath. "That's obscene."

"You're telling me." Haruhi crossed one leg over the other. "But we're here to talk about you. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?"

"You mean besides what's on the file?"

"I never look at those," Haruhi said dismissively. "They're an invasion of privacy, and they're creepy. You're a person. Not a test subject."

"I'm so glad I'm spending time with you. You make me feel like my fears are actually warranted."

"The Host Club means well, but that doesn't mean they always do well. If you spend more time with them, you'll find out that they get just as many things wrong as they do right."

You didn't miss the note of fondness in Haruhi's tone. Despite how at odds her sensible nature seemed with the Host Club, she liked the club. Liked the hosts. That had to count for something, didn't it?

"Alright, I'll bite. What do you want to know?"

"What's your family like? If you're like everyone else at Ouran, you must come from money."

"My parents are art investors," you said. "They like to sponsor local talent and act as patrons for artists they like. They're also interested in purchasing and restoring antique pieces. Don't—" you added, seeing the look on Haruhi's face, "—ask me about art stuff. I don't know anything about it."

"No? You're not in the business?"

You shrugged. "I know what looks pretty and what doesn't. And as far as I'm concerned, that's all I need to know."

"Fair enough. Fair enough." Haruhi began to ask another question, but she trailed off, looking at something over your shoulder. Feeling self-conscious, you turned around to see what she was looking at. Immediately, Hikaru and Kaoru whipped around in their seats, returning to the conversations they'd been having too quickly for it to be natural.

"Am I going to have to worry about those two?" you said.

"Probably."

You narrowed your eyes in the twins' direction. You scooted a little closer to Haruhi in an attempt to keep the conversation between the two of you.